CARLISLE duo Kevin Gray and Chris Lumsdon hailed the dawn of a new era following the club's quick return to the Football League.

The 1-0 win against Stevenage in the Conference play-off final ensured Paul Simpson's men are back where they feel they belong following their relegation from the old Third Division last season.

Even the most die-hard of Carlisle supporters would acknowledge they have been put through the mill in recent years.

Administration, relegation, boardroom wranglings and even life-threatening floods which haemorrhaged the club in January - United's recent history has been more akin to that of a soap opera than a football club.

But, on one sweet evening at the Britannia Stadium, all the suffering was banished from the memory after Peter Murphy's first-half header sent Carlisle up at the first time of asking.

"I can't really explain how amazing this is, but we've deserved it after everything we've been through," said skipper Gray. "It's a total transformation from this time last year.

"It was a real blow when we got relegated. We have a great bunch of lads here and we all believe in one another and the fantastic supporters deserve something to celebrate after a few years of disappointment."